Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Slip history

No changes since we started tracking on Sat 10 Oct 2026, 10:32 UTC.

1. Sun 30 Aug 2026, 13:30 UTCLL2 update

   Launch success with telescope solar panels/sunshade deployed.

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2. Sun 30 Aug 2026, 11:59 UTCLL2 update

   Payload deployed.

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3. Sun 30 Aug 2026, 11:26 UTCLL2 update

   Liftoff!

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4. Sun 30 Aug 2026, 10:20 UTCLL2 update

   Updated launch weather, 70% GO.

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5. Sun 30 Aug 2026, 10:19 UTCLL2 update

   Official Webcast by NASA has started

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6. Sun 30 Aug 2026, 09:46 UTCLL2 update

   Now targeting Aug 30 at 11:26 UTC

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7. Sat 29 Aug 2026, 15:22 UTCLL2 update

   Updated launch weather, 50% GO (launch window per https://x.com/spaceflightnow/status/2093717878302216462).

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8. Sat 29 Aug 2026, 11:45 UTCLL2 update

   Now targeting Aug 30 at 11:25 UTC

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Mission

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A. Launch time, status and recorded date changes from Launch Library 2.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a NASA infrared space telescope with a 2.4 m (7.9 ft) wide field of view primary mirror and two scientific instruments. The Wide-Field Instrument (WFI) is a 300.8-megapixel multi-band visible and near-infrared camera, providing a sharpness of images comparable to that achieved by the Hubble Space Telescope over a 0.28 square degree field of view, 100 times larger than imaging cameras on the Hubble. The Coronagraphic Instrument (CGI) is a high-contrast, small field of view camera and spectrometer covering visible and near-infrared wavelengths using novel starlight-suppression technology. Roman objectives include a search for extra-solar planets using gravitational microlensing, and probing the expansion history of the Universe and the growth of cosmic structure, with the goal of measuring the effects of dark energy, the consistency of general relativity, and the curvature of spacetime.

Mission type

Astrophysics

Orbit

Sun-Earth L2

Rocket file imagery

Launch timeline

Times are relative to liftoff.

1. T-53 minSun 30 Aug, 12:33 CEST

   GO for Prop Load

   Launch director verifies go for propellant load

2. T-50 minSun 30 Aug, 12:36 CEST

   Stage 1 Propellant Load

   Start of propellant loading in the first stage

3. T-45 minSun 30 Aug, 12:41 CEST

   Stage 1 LOX Load

   Start of liquid oxygen loading in the first stage

4. T-35 minSun 30 Aug, 12:51 CEST

   Stage 2 Propellant Load

   Start of propellant loading in the second stage

5. T-18 min 30 sSun 30 Aug, 13:07 CEST

   Stage 2 LOX Load

   Start of liquid oxygen loading in the second stage

6. T-7 minSun 30 Aug, 13:19 CEST

   Engine Chill

   Start of engine chilling

7. T-59 sSun 30 Aug, 13:25 CEST

   Startup

   The onboard computer takes control over the countdown and runs last checks

8. T-45 sSun 30 Aug, 13:25 CEST

   GO for Launch

   Launch director verifies go for launch

9. T-20 sSun 30 Aug, 13:25 CEST

   Tank Press

   Fuel tanks are pressurized to flight levels

10. T-6 sSun 30 Aug, 13:25 CEST

    Ignition

    Start of the engine ignition sequence

11. T-0Sun 30 Aug, 13:26 CEST

    Liftoff

    First upwards movement of the rocket

12. T+1 min 8 sSun 30 Aug, 13:27 CEST

    Max-Q

    Maximum dynamic pressure

13. T+2 min 24 sSun 30 Aug, 13:28 CEST

    SBECO

    Cut-off of the side boosters

14. T+2 min 27 sSun 30 Aug, 13:28 CEST

    Boosters Separation

    Separation of the side boosters

15. T+2 min 32 sSun 30 Aug, 13:28 CEST

    Boosters Flip

    Flip maneuver of the side boosters

16. T+2 min 43 sSun 30 Aug, 13:28 CEST

    Boosters Boostback Burn Startup

    Start of the boosters boostback burn

17. T+3 min 48 sSun 30 Aug, 13:29 CEST

    Boosters Boostback Burn Shutdown

    End of the boosters boostback burn

18. T+3 min 51 sSun 30 Aug, 13:29 CEST

    MECO

    Cut-off of the main engine

19. T+3 min 54 sSun 30 Aug, 13:29 CEST

    Stage 2 Separation

    Separation of the second stage from the first

20. T+4 minSun 30 Aug, 13:30 CEST

    SES-1

    First start of the second engine

21. T+4 min 15 sSun 30 Aug, 13:30 CEST

    Fairing Separation

    Separation of the payload fairing

22. T+6 min 19 sSun 30 Aug, 13:32 CEST

    Boosters Entry Burn Startup

    Start of the boosters atmospheric entry burn

23. T+6 min 29 sSun 30 Aug, 13:32 CEST

    Boosters Entry Burn Shutdown

    End of the boosters atmospheric entry burn

24. T+7 min 23 sSun 30 Aug, 13:33 CEST

    Boosters Landing Burn

    Start of the boosters landing burn

25. T+7 min 40 sSun 30 Aug, 13:33 CEST

    Boosters Landing

    Landing of the boosters

26. T+8 min 28 sSun 30 Aug, 13:34 CEST

    SECO-1

    First cut-off of the second engine

27. T+24 min 33 sSun 30 Aug, 13:50 CEST

    SES-2

    Second start of the second engine

28. T+26 min 32 sSun 30 Aug, 13:52 CEST

    SECO-2

    Second cut-off of the second engine

29. T+31 min 31 sSun 30 Aug, 13:57 CEST

    Payload Separation

    Final deployment of the payload from the rocket

Launch pad

Launch Complex 39A

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA (US)

Coordinates: 28.60822681, -80.60428186